With the exception of somE of the lowest price small systems, all microcomputers include means for mounting and connecting adapter cards in a housing. Such cards include those employed for communications, i.e. internal modems, those used to drive displays, to couple keyboards and to provide memory expansion.
In the following description, we refer to vertical and horizontal mounting of the adapter cards in the housing. The cards to which reference are made are planar in form. That is, while each card has a length, width and depth (or thickness), the length and width dimensions are very much greater than the depth (or thickness) dimension so it is natural to refer to the card as having a plane. The orientation of the housing can be referenced relative to a planar board within the housing. If an adapter card is mounted with its plane oriented perpendicular to the planar card, it is sometimes referred to as being mounted vertically.
In most systems these cards are mounted vertically or perpendicular to the planar card. Normally the microcomputer planar board, which contains most of the processing components, carries a plurality of sockets which extend upwardly from the planar board. Each adapter card has a plug portion which fits into a socket to connect the card adapter to the planar and partially support it in position. Normally each card also has a metal bracket mounted at its rear end. This bracket, on which may be mounted plugs or sockets for connection of external devices to the card, is normally secured to the rear surface of the microcomputer to further support the card and to prevent its displacement when a plug or socket is coupled to a bracket mounted device.
In the art, a number of systems in which plurality of adapter cards plug into a common extender and have been shown. An example of such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,083 (White). In this system, an extender connector system has sockets for receiving and coupling a plurality of cards. The cards are plugged into the extender by means of plug connections on the rear ends of the cards. The cards, when coupled to the extender connection system are positioned in parallel with each other vertically and the extender card is also mounted vertically. With reduction in the size of the housing of the microcomputer, and in particular reduction in height, a problem arises when it is desired to accommodate adapter cards developed for original use in a prior housing design of a machine. It is, of course, desirable to minimize cost to a user when he migrates from one machine to a later one. One way in which this can be achieved is to allow him to use the same adapter cards. If, however the adapter card width is greater than the height of the new system, the cards can not be mounted vertically.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide means for mounting adapter cards horizontally in a low profile microcomputer system.
It is further object of the invention to provide means for minimizing horizontal and vertical movement of an adapter card when mounted horizontally.